Wreck and Rescue: Grace Darling, A Victorian Heroine | Historic England Wreck and Rescue: Grace Darling, A Victorian Heroine Glossary Wreck and Rescue: Grace Darling, A Victorian Heroine When Grace Darling was born on November 24th, 1815, in the Northumbrian town of Bamburgh, to the lighthouse keeper William Darling and his wife Thomasina, there was little indication that she would become one of the most fêted heroines of the Victorian era and a celebrated media figure. William was the keeper at Brownstone lighthouse among the Farne Islands, but in 1826 transferred to the new Longstone light, which was better positioned to warn shipping away from the Farne Islands: for ever after the name Darling would be associated with the Longstone lighthouse and with one of the most notorious wrecks lost among the Farne Islands. The late 18th to early 19th century cottage in which Grace Darling was born, of random rubble stones with a slate roof. © Mr Steve Miller. Source Historic England Archive Disaster!

The Farne Islands are a notorious ships' graveyard: a collection of rocks and small islands lying off the forbidding cliff of Bamburgh. Caught in a storm with the wind blowing from the south-east, countless vessels coming from the south overshot their intended destination of Tynemouth to come to grief among the Farnes further to the north. Many of the Farne rocks have names hinting at their capacity to tear ships apart, among them the Fang and the Knivestone. During a storm on the night of 7th September, 1838, like many other vessels before and since, the paddle steamer Forfarshire , bound from Hull for Dundee with a general cargo and passengers, was driven onto the rocks and 'went to pieces': few people today now realise the maritime origin of this phrase. The night of the wreck On that fateful night, Grace, now 22, was at home at the lighthouse with her parents. The lighthouse would have borne the brunt of the storm, battered by the huge waves crashing against its walls, so its effects on the disintegrating wreck can easily be imagined.

In the early morning the family could just make out the wreck, but only when it was fully light could they see the survivors on Big Harcar Rock, clinging to the fore part of the wreck which was all that remained. The weather conditions were too atrocious to permit any hope of rescue from the mainland, and local fishermen considered the attempt far too perilous. Even William himself had his doubts, but there was no other possible help for the few survivors still clinging to what remained of their ship, so he and his daughter prepared to set out in their coble to do what they could to rescue survivors. Rescue at last The north-east coble at its smallest was a sturdy little rowing boat, used for fishing and piloting other ships, and was the inspiration for the earliest lifeboats, being easy to right in difficult conditions. After a short but dangerous passage among the rocks in extreme conditions, the Darlings were only able to take five people off the rock on their first attempt, including a lady still clinging to the bodies of her two dead children in grief.

Passengers, especially women and children, frequently came off worst in such shipwrecks, sometimes because they had been abandoned by the crew, but more often because they were much more vulnerable and less aware of what to do to help themselves in danger, and "exposure", or hypothermia, could strike indiscriminately. On the second attempt William Darling returned to Big Harcar with some of the crew he had rescued the first time round, to pick up the other four survivors, leaving Grace behind with her mother to care for the remainder of the first group in the lighthouse. The storm raged for two days before the survivors could be taken to the mainland. The lifeboat 'Tyne', displayed under its elegant commemorative canopy, erected in 1894, shows something of how the versatile coble developed into a dedicated lifeboat as designed by William Greathead and William Wouldhave, both claimed as the inventor of the self-righting lifeboat. The actual coble used by Grace and her father was smaller and is still on display in the Grace Darling Museum in Bamburgh. © Mr A Hubbard.

Source Historic England Archive A media celebrity The rescue became a media sensation at a time when most newspapers published shipping news, vital in Victorian Britain which relied on her mercantile trade overseas and her navy. Wrecks were commonplace and the loss of life correspondingly high: shipping losses were newsworthy for commercial, insurance and humanitarian reasons. Slowly but surely, as the appetite for news in general increased, so did the column inches devoted to the "human interest" aspect of shipwreck incidents, becoming increasingly melodramatic in tone. Such a rescue against all the odds caught the imagination of the public, particularly because Grace had single-handedly kept the coble in position as her father assisted the survivors into the little vessel, and because, at any moment, the little coble could have suffered the same fate of the much larger ship. Grace and her father were given medals and financial rewards, and were inundated with visitors, letters, and requests for souvenirs. Grace's fame eclipsed that of her father, who was referred to as "Grace Darling's father" when he was involved in further rescues, notably the Success in 1853, and the Trio in 1860.

Her early death from tuberculosis in 1842 increased national fervour and provided an occasion for the new Poet Laureate, William Wordsworth, to write an appropriate tribute. The grandeur of Grace Darling's monument reflects the esteem in which she was held at the time of her death and for many decades afterwards, as the epitome of a Victorian heroine. The original monument was designed by the eminent architect Anthony Salvin, who had connections with the north-east. The canopy was rebuilt 1894 in an elaborate Gothic style after being damaged in a gale in November 1893, which also sank 48 vessels on the east coast of England. © Mr Kenneth Robinson. Source Historic England Archive Was this page helpful? Grace Darling sea rescue marked - BBC News BBC News Grace Darling sea rescue marked 7 September 2013 Image caption Grace Darling and her father rowed out to the wreck Image caption Grace Darling held the rowing boat steady in the storm The anniversary of a sea rescue by an "inspirational" Victorian heroine is being marked in Northumberland.

Grace Darling was aged 22 when she rowed out in a storm with her father to help survivors of the SS Forfarshire, wrecked off the Farne Islands. Her role in the rescue, on 7 September 1838, was picked up by the press, and she became a national celebrity. To mark the anniversary, a restored lifeboat will row out to the scene and a wreath will be laid at sea. 'Bravery epitomised' In the aftermath of the rescue, what caught the public imagination was that Grace Darling was a young woman. Image caption Grace Darling inspired poems and art, and a rose was named after her However, women have long played a vital role in sea rescues, although it was only in 1967 that one became an RNLI lifeboat crew member. Before that, and from the RNLI's formation in 1824, women acted as shore crew to launch and recover lifeboats and were the backbone of fundraising guilds. Now 8% of the 4,600 volunteer crew are women, and more than 20 have been awarded gallantry medals, as Grace Darling was.

The lighthouse-keeper's daughter was the seventh of nine children, and the family lived first in the Brownsman and then the Longstone lighthouses on the Farne Islands. Grace Darling is a true inspiration to our volunteer crews Ian Clayton, RNLI Seahouses volunteer She learned to row at an early age, and became her father's assistant. On the morning of the disaster she spotted the SS Forfarshire wrecked on the Harcar Rock, and through the telescope saw that people were stranded. Her father thought the sea was too rough for the lifeboat from Seahouses to set out, but since he knew the rocks and tides, he set off in his coble with his daughter. After an arduous and dangerous journey they reached the survivors, and Grace held the heavy boat steady while they were brought on board. Her part in the rescue inspired paintings, poems and books, and a rose was named after her. Despite her celebrity she remained in Northumberland, where she died of tuberculosis at the age of only 26.

Image caption Volunteers will row out to the scene of the wreck in a restored lifeboat, the William Riley Virginia Mayes-Wright, manager of the RNLI Grace Darling Museum, said: "Grace epitomises the bravery and selflessness of volunteer lifeboat crews of today." Ian Clayton, RNLI Seahouses volunteer, said: "Grace Darling is a true inspiration to our volunteer crews." As part of the anniversary celebrations, 12 volunteers from the Seahouses station are rowing a restored 100-year-old former lifeboat, the William Riley, to the scene of the rescue, and will be laying a commemorative wreath out at sea. Back on shore, a family fun day is being held at Seahouses Harbour, and at 14:30 BST - to coincide with the wreath ceremony - people will be invited to take a moment to stop and reflect on events of 175 years ago. Grace Darling Return to top of page The Grace Darling Rescue On September 7th, 1838, an incident took place at the Farne Islands, off the North Northumberland Coast, which was to have profound effect on maritime rescue facilities, or indeed lack of them around the coast of the United Kingdom.

The 400 ton paddle steamship "Forfarshire" was on passage from Hull to Dundee when it struck rocks near to the Longstone Lighthouse, in a northerly gale. The vessel broke in two almost immediately, and many passengers were drowned as the aft section quickly sank. Some of the crew and one passenger were picked up in one of the ship's boats, by a passing ship. Thirteen people had survived on the fore part of the stricken vessel, and were able to scramble onto the Harcar Rock. About half a mile away, on the Longstone Lighthouse, were William Darling, his wife Thomasin and their youngest daughter Grace. Their son William had across to Seahouses earlier, to help the herring fleet. At first light on the 8th, Grace spotted the wreck of the "Forfarshire from her bedroom window, and alerted her family. As the light grew stronger, they could just make out the survivors huddled on the rocks. Grace and her father decided at once to attempt a rescue, and put out in their 21ft coble, rowing it through heavy seas towards the casualties.

They could not take a direct route, having to avoid other rocks, and with tremendous skill and courage, managed to reach the rocks and rescue some of the survivors, who in turn helped row the coble back to the lighthouse. Grace and her father decided to make a return trip to rescue those remaining, where they were also successfully saved and taken back to the lighthouse. here they remained for 2 days due to the storms, being cared for by the Darling family. Meanwhile, William Robson, coxswain of the North Sunderland Lifeboat (Seahouses), on being informed of the wreck, decided to launch a local coble instead of the lifeboat, as he believed it would be better suited for getting close amongst the rocks. At this time, he was unaware of the rescue by Grace and William Darling. With 6 local men, James Robson, Michael Robson, Thomas Cuthbertson, William Swan, Robert Knox, and William Darling (the lighthouse keeper's son), they set out into the storm. On reaching the Harcar Rock, they found that all had been rescued, and they then made their way to the Longstone Lighthouse, being impossible to return to Seahouses because of the sea state.

However, on reaching the lighthouse, the accommodation was found to be full, and the crew had to take shelter in a derelict building for next two days. News of the gallant rescue by Grace and William Darling quickly spread throughout the country, and their bravery was duly recognized, the R.N.L.I. awarded they both silver gallantry medals. They also received the Gold Medallion from the Royal Human Society, while Grace additionally received silver medals from the Glasgow Humane Society and the Edinburgh and Leith Humane Society. Sadly, four years later, this national heroine died of tuberculosis on October 20th, 1842. Her actions focused the nation on the issues of maritime rescue, serving as catalyst for the development of new safer Lifeboats, and development of the Lifeboat Service around the coastline of the United Kingdom. Her memorial stands in the churchyard of St Aidan's Parish Church, Bamburgh, just a mile or so north of Seahouses, opposite the house where she was born. Close by is the Grace Darling Museum, dedicated to her memory and her heroic actions. The Museum is open daily (excluding Mondays in winter).

To verify opening times, call the museum during office hours on 01668 214910. Completely redeveloped, with Heritage Lottery Funding, the Museum caters for individual or Group visits (by arrangement), and includes heritage workshop facilities. The Grace Darling Coble returns from secure storage to the museum in December 2007. Some views inside the museum, where pictures, artefacts, interactive displays and a lighthouse model are some of the attractions, and of course, workmen reported seeing a lady in period costume, and feeling a chill in the building.... Could it be Grace checking all is in order in her newly refurbished and extended museum ? h2g2 - Grace Darling - the Lighthouse Heroine - Edited Entry 3 Conversations Forgotten Heroines Grace Darling symbolised everything the RNLI stands for; risking her own life to save others, selflessness and courage - Edward Wake-Walker, Author Grace Darling and her father William's courageous rescue of nine people from the wreck of the sinking SS Forfarshire in 1838 is one of England's lesser known, but still awe-inspiring, legends.

Grace Darling, only 22 years of age at the time, went from being a shy, hardworking woman to one of the country's, and even the world's, most talked about celebrities. Simple Beginnings Grace Horsley Darling was born on 24 November, 1815, to mother Thomasina and father William. William Darling, already lighthouse keeper at Brownsman Island 1 was a doting father. As Grace grew up he taught her reading, writing, mathematics and basic geography. She also learnt needlecraft, cooking and cleaning duties along with general upkeep of a lighthouse, accompanying her father in collecting salvage and maintaining the lanterns of the light. On trips around the island with her father, she was also educated about the natural flora and fauna, particularly the varieties of birds found on the Farnes, like the puffin and eider duck. The Darling family was a large one, with Grace the seventh of nine siblings. Sometimes times were tough, which hardened the young Grace. On 18 February, 1826 (when Grace was ten years old), the Brownsman Light was put out.

A lighthouse on Longstone Island had been built to warn newer steamships of the dangers of rocks in the waters around the Farne Islands. The Darling family moved out to Longstone Lighthouse , travelling backwards and forwards from their old home on Brownsman Island with food and vegetables. Grace also tended to the native eider ducks, her mother using the down from the ducks to fill their mattresses; some ducks quite probably made their way to the Darling dinner table. Grace's already considerable skills around a lighthouse were put to good use by her father; Grace becoming a strong and resourceful woman, able to repair fishing nets, row confidently and keep up with her father when asked to do physical and menial chores. Her elder brothers and sisters left Longstone to fulfil lives either on the mainland at Bamburgh or elsewhere leaving Grace, her younger brother William Brooks and parents to lead a simple but successful lifestyle on Longstone Island. The SS Forfarshire On Wednesday 5 September, 1838, the SS Forfarshire (a newly built steamship travelling from Hull to Dundee in Scotland with a complement of 63 passengers - crew included - and a cargo of cloth, hardware and soap) began to have problems with its boiler.

A leak flooded the engine room and the steam build up from the hot water prevented the crew from reaching the boiler to make repairs. At this time the Forfarshire was just north of the Farne Islands, and a storm was closing in. At 1.00am on 7 September, the ship's engines stopped and the vessel began to drift in the heaving waters. Sails were hoisted and the crew attempted to steer the sluggish steamer towards the inner sound of the Farne Islands. The captain pushed the ship closer to the narrow inlets and it struck a rock. The combination of the heavy winds and rock tore the ship in two; its stern separated completely and with most of the passengers below decks sheltering from the storm, there was little time for them to reach the lifeboats. On the night of 6 September, William Darling checked the Longstone Light a little after midnight and, realising a storm was brewing, asked Grace to help him lash down and secure all the equipment, including their coble . After this was done they retired to bed.

Grace though, still awake at a little before 5am, looked out of the lighthouse window and noticed a black shape out on the rocks - the Forfarshire run aground. Waking her father, they attempted to spot lifeboats and in the early morning light figures could be seen on the largest rock, 'Big Harcar'. William Darling assumed the nearest lifeboats at Bamburgh could not be launched due to the heavy seas, as was the case with the North Sunderland Lifeboat. Grace convinced her father that with lives to save they must row out to Big Harcar and do whatever possible. The Rescue Grace and her father untethered their small coble - a craft that needed at least three people to row properly in the rough sea - and began to make their way towards the large rocks off Longstone Island. Nine bedraggled figures were huddled on Big Harcar and William realised that to reach them he would have to leap from the coble and leave Grace in charge of the small boat. He did just that and while the storm worsened, Grace kept the coble close to Big Harcar, rowing almost constantly against the tide and waves while her father tended to the survivors of the Forfarshire.

On the rock William found eight men, one of whom was injured. There was also one woman clutching her two children. Both were dead. A further lifeless man lay nearby on the rock. William and three of the men rowed the boat back to Longstone, taking with them the now exhausted Grace, the injured man and distraught woman. They then returned for the other four survivors. Thomasina Darling provided all with warm food, blankets and dry clothes. At 11.00am, the Sunderland Lifeboat crew arrived at Big Harcar, finding only the dead man and children. They then carried on to Longstone where they were surprised to find nine souls from the broken steamship 2 . A Legend Following the rescue, both William Darling and his daughter Grace became household names. Without leaving her home on Longstone Island, Grace became a national treasure.

Poet William Wordsworth wrote of her: All night the storm had raged, nor ceased, nor paused, When, as day broke, the Maid, through misty air, Espies far off a Wreck, amid the surf, Beating on one of those disastrous isles-- Half of a Vessel, half--no more; the rest Had vanished, swallowed up with all that there Had for the common safety striven in vain, Or thither thronged for refuge. With quick glance Daughter and Sire through optic-glass discern, Clinging about the remnant of this Ship, Creatures - how precious in the Maiden's sight! Grace was also the subject of several books and paintings. Her fame could be compared to that of solo yachtswoman Dame Ellen MacArthur , but instead of the paparazzi, she had to dismiss hordes of well-meaning portrait painters and suitors. Women of the Victorian era were not seen as strong, capable types able to perform feats of incredible strength, both physically and mentally. Because of this Grace was even offered a starring role in William Batty's circus - which she flatly refused.

However, many respected the amazing feat and £725 was collected by well-wishers for Grace (£50 of which came from Queen Victoria ), with a further £175 for her father. The chocolate manufacturer Cadbury even released 'Grace Darling'-branded chocolate boxes to commemorate the rescue. The Royal Humane Society awarded Grace and her father a Gold Medal of Bravery shortly after the event. Grace and her father had to row not across the open sea, the quickest route to the stricken steamer, but around the rocks — a distance of about a mile (1.7km). Grace's skill in keeping the small rowboat steady while William Darling assisted survivors aboard was incredible, for anyone, in the violent storm. Her bravery award later sold for £38,900 at Sotheby's 3 in 1999. Sotheby's medal specialist Edward Playfair said of the medal: It is the ultimate life-saving medal. In terms of carrying out a single feat of bravery, she is probably Britain's greatest heroine and this is the premier award for an act which did not only make an impression in this country but also abroad.

A Quiet End Unfortunately, in 1842 Grace developed tuberculosis and left her post at Longstone Light to convalesce with her sister in Bamburgh. On 20 October, just short of her 27th birthday, she passed away in her father's arms and was buried at St Aiden's churchyard in the town. Not long of life, she quickly became the heroine of Longstone Light, forever a young woman who risked her life to save those survivors of the ill-fated Forfarshire. In 1938, the centenary marking the dramatic rescue, the Grace Darling Museum was opened adjacent to the churchyard in Bamburgh. To this day the Royal National Lifeboat Institution continues to name lifeboats in her honour and preserve her memory 4 . 1 Part of the Farne Islands , off the coast of Northumberland near Bamburgh 2 Nine other people survived the wreck. These people, eight of the crew and a single passenger, had managed to reach the lifeboat on the Forfarshire. 3 A major London auction house. 4 Grace Darling has enjoyed fame worldwide with a public house in Melbourne , Victoria, Australia also bearing her name.

Grace Darling Website Welcome to the Grace Darling website​​​​​​​​​​​​ Grace was born on 24th November 1815 at Bamburgh, Northumberland and spent her youth in two lighthouses (Brownsman and Longstone) where her father, William, was the keeper. In the early hours of the 7th September 1838, Grace, looking out from an upstairs window of the Longstone Lighthouse on the Farne Islands, spotted the wreck and survivors of the Forfarshire on Big Harcar, a low rocky outcrop. The Forfarshire had foundered on the rocks and broken in half; one of the halves had sunk during the night. Amidst tempestuous waves and gale force winds there followed an amazing rescue of the survivors. Grace Darling Trad. Arr. casetone2514 - YouTube Grace Darling Trad. Arr. casetone2514 Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later.

Uploaded on May 12, 2009 Grace Darling (14th November, 1815 - 20th October, 1842) A surprisingly little known heroine in her native England, Grace Darling was once one of the nations best known and well loved women. She was born in Bamburgh in Northumberland, and spent her childhood and later years in various lighthouses of which her father was keeper. On the night of 7th September, 1838, Grace, looking from an upstairs window of The Longstone lighthouse on the Farne Islands, spotted the ship, run aground on the Hawkers Rocks only a few hundred yards away. The ship was the paddle-steamer The Forfarshire, bound from Hull to Dundee and, realising that the weather was too rough for the lifeboat to put out from the shore, Grace and her father took a rowing boat across to the other island and rescued the survivors, bringing them safely back to the lighthouse. The rescue lasted from 7am to 9am and was carried out in the most atrocious of weather conditions in an open rowing boat.

51 of the people on board the ship were lost and Grace and her father rescued the remaining nine. Despite the versions in verse and song, there is no evidence to suggest that William was reluctant to put to sea or that Grace had to persuade him. To her dismay, she became quite a celebrity, and William and Grace Darling both received the Royal Humane Societys Gold medal and Grace (in an age when women were regarded as the weaker sex) was immortalized in song by Felix McGlennan, in verse by Alfred Lord Tennyson and had quadrilles waltzes and Gallops composed in her honour. She died at the age of 26 from tuberculosis and is buried at Bamburgh where a memorial to her can be seen by passing shipping. Interestingly, another famed female lighthouse keeper (America's most famous) was Ida Lewis who also has a song written about her exploits. She kept the Lime Rock Light after her father took ill following a stroke. From the age of 15 she took charge and looked after her disabled father, younger sister and the lighthouse. Ida was, officially, credited with 17 rescues though it may have been up to 25.

Her first rescue (of 4 soldiers) was at the age of 16 and her last at the age of 63. No American lighthouse has ever had it's name changed by the Lighthouse Service (part of the Coast Guard), except for the Lime Rock Light. It was renamed the Ida Lewis Light. After the Light was retired it was bought by the Newport Yacht Club, who renamed the club the Ida Lewis Yacht Club, and has been maintained by them ever since. IDA LEWIS Ida Lewis left Newport at the age of 15, Moved onto Lime Light Rock in the 1850's Her father was a captain, now keeper of the light Soon the duties feel on Ida to keep the lamps burning bright. Her sisters & brother she'd row to school every day In a small open lifeboat across the rough bay From his wheelchair her father would watch through the storms In horror as Ida would row the children back home.

Renowned for her skills no matter the weather At swimming or rowing no man was her better At the age of 16 she had saved 4 mens' lives By the time she retired she had saved 25 There are saints on the water & demons in the sea One & all they praised Ida for her great bravery On the very night this women died, who had lived on the shoals Every bell on evry boat in Newport did toll Now they've renamed that rock the Ida Lewis Rock Light And in her honor today the lights are still burning bright But sometimes at night when it's rough & it's cold Some claim to see Ida pulling boys from the foam. Category The Collective Biographies of Women: Biographies Biography of Grace Darling Read more... Katie Barber and Liz Rose At the dawn of the Victorian Era, one diminutive but brave young woman captivated the national consciousness as a result of her role in a dangerous rescue mission off the coast of Northumberland. Her name was Grace Darling, and through her efforts in the rescue of nine shipwrecked passengers early on the morning of September 7, 1838, she was transformed into an exalted national hero.

She was both lauded and hounded by the public up until her early death, after which she, and her story, continued to entrance the public imagination in Britain and abroad. At the dawn of the Victorian Era, one diminutive but brave young woman captivated the national consciousness as a result of her role in a dangerous rescue mission off the coast of Northumberland. Her name was Grace Darling, and through her efforts in the rescue of nine shipwrecked passengers early on the morning of September 7, 1838, she was transformed into an exalted national hero. She was both lauded and hounded by the public up until her early death, after which she, and her story, continued to entrance the public imagination in Britain and abroad. Grace Horsley Darling was born in Bamburgh, Northumberland on November 14, 1815, and was the seventh of William and Thomasin Darling’s nine children. William Darling was a lighthouse keeper, as his father had been before him, and Grace and her siblings grew up on the “Longstone Light on one of the wild and savage Farne islands” (Sitwell 59).

Relatively little is known regarding Grace’s early years, though she seems to have received a solid education evident in her handwriting, which was “equal to that of most ladies” (Bruce 376). Furthermore, she was surrounded by books, albeit those “principally [of] Divinity” and “Geography, History, Voyages and Travels, with Maps” (Mitford 89). Her father regarded novels and other forms of literature, as well as pursuits such as card-playing, to be the works of the Devil, and raised his family within the confines of strict Puritanism (Mitford 89; ODNB ). In their remote location, Grace and her family were isolated from society at large, making only occasional excursions to the mainland, and otherwise occupying themselves with the daily domestic duties of the lighthouse (Bruce). Perhaps as a result of this confined but (for Grace, apparently) enjoyable upbringing, Grace was “remarkable for a retiring and somewhat reserved disposition” (Bruce 376).

She assisted her father in his work on the lighthouse and kept watch at times (ODNB), bearing witness to several wrecks and rescues over the course of her lifetime but never participating in them, as her older brothers were always present to help their father (Bruce). In this manner, for the first twenty-two years of her life, the mild-tempered “young girl of five feet two, with small wrists” (Sitwell 61) lived quietly in a household of sober industry and religious commitment. The events of the early hours of September 7, 1838, however, drastically expanded the confined world in which Grace lived, though they never seemed to change her fundamental personality and temperament. The Forfarshire, one of the largest steamships of its day, set off from port on September 6, 1838, carrying around sixty people, crew and passengers. Upon encountering a brutal storm near the Farne Islands, the ship was wrecked on Big Harcar Rock (Mitford 29). Grace, keeping watch from the lighthouse, glimpsed the nine survivors at around five o’clock on the morning of September 7 and informed her father (Thomasin Darling).

Her older brothers had all left their parents by then to live on the mainland, while her younger brother, who was usually present at the lighthouse, was away on a fishing excursion (Mitford 29). As a result, Grace was put in the unusual position of being the only able-bodied assistant for her father. Most initial accounts of the story of this day portray William Darling as reluctant and unwilling to brave the stormy waters, while Grace forced him into action by declaring her intention to go regardless of his participation (Sitwell). Later accounts, however, have questioned this depiction of the story, and the only firsthand written account of the rescue is that of William Darling himself, in the official letter he wrote to the Secretary of Trinity House.

His depiction of the rescue is a straightforward factual representation in which he credits his “Daughter” with having “observed a vessel on Harker’s Rock” and “incessantly [applying] the glass until near 7 o’clock when, the tide being fallen [they] observed three or four men upon the rock.” He then states that they “agreed that if [they] could get to them some of them would be able to assist [them] back,” after which they “immediately launched [their] boat, and [were] enabled to gain the rock.” Grace and William then returned to the Lighthouse with the sole woman and four of the men, two of whom then returned with William to retrieve the remaining four men (William Darling). The matter-of-fact attitude with which these events were treated by the Darling family is evident in William Darling’s account of the rescue. To a family of lighthouse-keepers, dangerous rescues were fairly frequent occurrences, and the efforts that Grace and her father put forth were expected and unremarkable. Indeed, William Darling is likely to have thought of the prospect of "sole salvage rights" to the goods in the wreck if he could reach the ship (ODNB).

The rest of the nation, however, did not perceive the event in such a pragmatic manner. Instead, the public exalted the romantic and heroic nature of the event in a manner directly opposed to the down-to-earth humility of the Darlings’ reaction. The year 1838, one year following the beginning of Queen Victoria’s reign and its corresponding era, was a “moment [that] was opportune for acclaiming female virtue” (Correspondent). Although Grace and her father played equally significant roles in the rescue of the survivors, it was Grace and the combination of her unconventional physical feat and virtuous humility, emblematic of ideal Victorian womanhood, that attracted the media and publicity. The number of visitors at the Longstone Lighthouse increased exponentially as people from all over the country flocked to meet the great heroine and see the location of her selfless deed. In addition to the masses that besieged the once reclusive world of Longstone Lighthouse, numerous institutions celebrated the Darling family.

The Royal Humane Society acknowledged Grace and William Darling in a special general court held on October 31, 1838 that highlighted the “intrepidity, presence of mind, and humanity that nobly urged [Grace]” to rescue the survivors of the shipwreck (Thomasin Darling 26). In addition to this acknowledgment, Grace and William each received the society’s Golden Medallion, one of the highest honors of that time. The Duke of Northumberland was chosen to deliver the honorific medallions, and he added to the delivery his own gifts for the family: waterproof clothing, a silver teapot, a gold seal engraved with Grace’s initials, and four pounds of tea. It was through this act of largesse that the lifelong friendship between the Duke and Grace began (Thomasin Darling). Following the Royal Humane Society’s lead, many other national and local institutions recognized Grace’s actions. She received medals from The Royal Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck, The Edinburgh and Leith Humane Society, The Glasgow Humane Society, and The Shipwreck Society of Newcastle.

Some organizations, such as Lloyds, the insurance company, and The Ladies of Edinburgh, chose to send money and stocks to Grace and her father. Just a year after the shipwreck, Grace had received about seven hundred and fifty pounds' worth of stock (Thomasin Darling). Medals, stocks, and money were not the only gifts that Grace and her family received. Admirers sent a plethora of treasures that included silver tea sets, jewelry, and even a beaver bonnet. The number of presents received by the family, despite its immensity, was insignificant in comparison to the number of letters sent to the lighthouse. Many people wrote simply to praise Grace, demonstrating the public fascination surrounding her. Others wrote to describe how they had lost loved ones in shipwrecks and to thank Grace for preventing others from suffering the same loss. Queen Victoria herself recognized and contributed to Grace’s national prominence when the Darlings received a letter from the United Kingdom’s Treasury stating that “Her Majesty [had] been called to the circumstances attending the Wreck of the Forfarshire Steamer” and wished to acknowledge Grace Darling for her actions in saving the survivors (Thomasin Darling 30).

Amongst all of these letters, however, there is no evidence that Grace ever received acknowledgement from the survivors of the Forfarshire’s wreck (Thomasin Darling). Grace attempted to reply to every letter and gift she received. She usually declined any admiration or gratitude, insisting that she was simply God’s instrument, and that therefore it was God who deserved the thanks. Many people wrote to Grace asking for a signature or lock of her hair, leading her to begin enclosing locks of hair in her responses as a means of repayment for the recognition she received (Thomasin Darling). This custom soon ended, however, as Grace “would soon have been left with a closely cropped head” had her attempts to satisfy the demanding public continued in this manner (Thomasin Darling 47). Despite this sudden burst of popularity and fame, Grace “shrank from, not courted, the public” (Thomasin Darling 38), behavior that simultaneously reinforced the Victorian conception of her virtuous nature and characterized her as a shy and wild creature threatened by the hungry public (Sitwell). Grace received many offers to be properly introduced to London’s society, some including paid appearances, but she refused all of them.

The Duke of Northumberland, now a family friend and patron, understood Grace’s reluctance to embrace her fame and worked to spare her from undesired exhibition. When Grace received letters requesting her appearance at various ceremonies and functions, she informed the Duke and he wrote politely worded refusals on her behalf. Eventually, people began to write to the Duke in order to pass messages on to Grace. Grateful for this understanding and help, Grace called the Duke her Guardian and herself his servant (Thomasin Darling). The Duke was not able to shield Grace from the artistic community, however. The events of that September morning seized the artistic imagination of the era, and painters such as J.W. Carmichael and Thomas Musgrave Joy requested that Grace and her father sit for portraits. Many times, Grace would be forced to reenact awkward positions in order for the painters to properly portray the scene of the Forfarshire’s shipwreck. There were also many books dedicated to Grace’s story. Many of them were written as romances, with loose treatment of the facts of the event. William Wordsworth commemorated Grace and her actions in verse considered to be beautifully and poetically written, but also greatly romanticized and “embarrassing” (ODNB).

Grace did not read or pay attention to any of the novels, in keeping with her strict upbringing (Thomasin Darling). She continued to “politely refuse” all offers of paid appearances (Correspondent) and to decline invitations to enter into London society, as Grace was content to focus on her chores and duties at Longstone and to remain a companion and helper to her parents. She refused numerous offers of marriage following her rise in fame (Bruce), and “clung to her father and to her name, [explaining] that any husband of hers should take it” (Thomasin Darling 11). She showed no indications of yearning for something more than what she had, and refuted the assumption that her quiet life on the island was unfulfilling, stating that she “[had] no time to spare” as she had “seven apartments in the house to keep in a state fit to be inspected every day by Gentlemen, so that [her] hands [were] kept very busy” (Mitford, 89 and 90). Despite the external clamor and demands of the public, Grace was satisfied with the quiet confinement, humble industry, and familial duty of the lighthouse.

In this way, Grace lived contentedly at the Longstone Lighthouse until a sudden decline in her health occurred after a visit to her oldest brother on Coquet Island in 1842. In the hope of improving her condition, Grace’s parents sent her and her sister, Thomasin, to visit a family friend, George Shield, in Wooler (Thomasin Darling, Britain Unlimited). While there, Grace wrote to her parents that she greatly enjoyed spending time with her sister and was beginning to feel better. Thomasin’s letters contradicted Grace’s claim, however, as she wrote that her sister’s coughs remained about the same (Thomasin Darling). The two sisters then went to Alnwick, the residence of the Duke of Northumberland, as the Duke had requested that Grace be treated by his personal doctor. Grace’s health never improved, however, and the doctor said that her disease was one which “no skill, nor care, nor kindness could arrest” (Thomasin Darling 56). In one last attempt to save their daughter, the Darlings sent Grace to Thomasin’s home in Bamborough. Much to everyone’s surprise, Grace began to show signs of increasing health within the first few days in Bamborough.

Despite this short-lived hope, Grace died several days later on October 20th, 1842 at the age of twenty-seven, a victim of what is believed to have been tuberculosis (Thomasin Darling, Britain Unlimited). She was buried in St. Aidan’s Churchyard, less than one hundred yards from where she had been born (Britain Unlimited). Though Grace was dead, her fame lived on in literature, art, popular culture, and, most significantly, the national consciousness. As Edith Sitwell put it, “to the last day of her life Grace Darling could not see that she had done anything extraordinary…but she became the pride of the nation” (Sitwell 62). Certain types of heroic legend coincided in her, as in the physical courage and prowess of Joan of Arc , the wild, indigenous innocence and rescue of Pocahontas or Walter Scott's heroines, and other romantic themes apart from love and marriage. In turn, she became a type recognized in other women's deeds around the world, even for predecessors such as the "Grace Darling of Newfoundland," Ann Harvey, who helped to rescue 180 survivors of a shipwreck in 1828 (Ann Harvey).

To the Victorian Era, Grace stood as an emblem of both British courage and female virtue that resonated deeply with that era's imperialism and idealism. She was a woman with a truly “English heart” (Mitford) who represented the absolute best of her society, and gave its members hope and faith in a time of transition. Works Cited Ann Harvey's Weblog , 8 August 2009. Bruce, Charles. The Book of English Noblewomen: Lives Made Illustrious by Heroism, Goodness, and Great Attainments. W.P. Nimmo, 1875, pp. 375-385. Google Books. 10 Nov 2008. Darling+date:1815-1899& lr=&as_brr=0#PPA378,M1 Correspondent. “The Centenary of Grace Darling: A Nation’s Acclamation,” The Times 07 Sept 1938. The Times Digital Archive, Infotrac, Gale Group. 3 Nov 2008.

253309735&dyn=13!xrn_24_0_CS253309735&hst_1?sw_aep=viva_uva Darling, Grace. “The Wreck of the Forfarshire: A letter from Grace Darling,” The Times 20 Oct 1838.The Times Digital Archive, Infotrac, Gale Group. 3 Nov 2008. 51014484&dyn=3!xrn_1_0_CS51014484&hst_1?sw_aep=viva_uva Darling, Thomasin. Grace Darling, Her True Story. Paternoster Row, London: Hamilton, Adams, & Co., 1880. Google Books. 1 Nov 2008.

+story&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=3rcg0yXrpt&sig=6FCSfboxaRzIQV273 B1WfXu4M8c&sa=X&oi=book_result&-Secretary-of-Trinity-House.html “Grace Darling.” 2002-08. Britain Unlimited. 1 Nov. 2008. H. C. G. Matthew. “Darling, Grace Horsley (1815–1842).” 2004. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press. 1 Nov. 2008. Mitford, Jessica. Grace Had an English Heart. London: Penguin Books Ltd., Butler and Tannner Ltd., 1988. Sitwell, Edith, Dame. English Women. London: Prion, 1942. pp.59-63. From 'Lives of the Victorians' blog at Wordpress.com Links

Question: From which ship did Grace Darling and her father rescue seven survivors in 1838?
Answer: FORFARSHIRE